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Biography:

John Guida (Naples, 1897 – Rome, 1965) was an Italian stylist and illustrator.

Born in Naples to an Italian father and an American mother, John Guida was active as a fashion designer and figurine artist especially in the period from the 1920s to the 1940s.

A regular visitor to the Parisian fashion shows, he drew inspiration from the famous tailors of the time (Jean Patou, Madeleine Vionnet, Jeanne Lanvin, Lucien Lelong, Coco Chanel), developing his own personal style, becoming an official costume designer for some of the most famous Italian tailors, such as Maria Antonelli and Coen in Rome, Sanet and La Merveilleuse in Turin. Going through the phases influenced by Liberty and Art Deco, his design remained characterized by a refined linearity and constant attention to precious detail. His elongated and slender female figures were often underlined by loose skirts and flowing pants; the sophisticated profiles were highlighted by short or gathered hair, inspired by the typical garçonne model of the time.

He was also active as an illustrator for the women’s magazines La donna e Domina and as an advertising designer for the fashion and perfumery sectors.

John Guida’s drawings were exhibited in the important review Gli Annitrenta, held at the Palazzo Reale in Milan in 1982, as typical examples of the style of the period.